Filed under: Hardware, Macbook Pro
MacBook Pro owners report hard drive lag
There's a thread at Apple's Discussion Boards about an issue that's bothering a number of users. Specifically, the current model 17" MacBook Pros seem to be experiencing hard drive lag. Several users report hearing the hard drive park itself, but at inappropriate times, causing the Marble of Doom to appear and bringing all tasks to a halt. This comes a short time after other users have reported a strange beep.One user reported no red flags while running Activity Monitor while another went so far as to swap the hard drive to no avail. If you're having this issue, or if you've solved it, please let these folks know.
Update: A user calling himself theycallmefreddy reportedly fixed the problem late this morning by creating a 2nd user account. You can read his post here.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Justin M. said 5:25PM on 8-03-2009
I've had one of these models since late March and haven't had any issues like this. I did do a live repartition (using iPartition) that later led to similar symptoms, but it appeared to be just volume (i.e., software) corruption, not a hardware problem.
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Ichiro said 4:52PM on 8-03-2009
I did run into a problem where I installed a Seagate drive with a built in SMS sensor. It caused all sorts of performance issues (Clicking, head would keep parking...etc). I removed it and installed the Same drive but without the SMS chip and works perfectly. I think it conflicted with the MBP's built in SMS.
I installed the Seagate drive with SMS into an enclosure and it works perfectly, no clicking or performance issue.
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sum guy said 4:51PM on 8-03-2009
wow, i have a 15" mid-09 mbp, and i have been experiance something exactly like this. :/
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fishbert said 9:22PM on 8-03-2009
You may be seeing this different, but equally as serious, issue with the recent version 1.7 firmware update -- you know, the one that was supposed to fix the inexplicable SATA I 1.5 Gb/s limitation. The only solution is to replace the logic board with one from before the firmware update. But unless it's happening with the stock hard drive (which it does for some), good luck getting Apple to fix it -- most people who have upgraded their hard drive report Apple refusing to do anything about it, saying instead that they don't support 3rd party hard drives.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2054387
http://vimeo.com/5854152
joshua said 11:49AM on 8-04-2009
me too on my mid 09 mbpro. very annoying. i thought it was a ffox/flash issue.
Ichiro said 4:55PM on 8-03-2009
I forgot to add. I have had this type of issue before with a different drive but it was a drive error. I noticed in the Console every time the computer would "hang" for a few seconds a Console message with a Disk IO error would be logged. A full format fixed the problem but I replaced the drive anyways.
I don't think anything would show up in the Activity monitor as the article stated.
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BrianX said 5:02PM on 8-03-2009
This is the same click beep issue that has a 70 page thread...
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2049659&tstart=0
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kpedro said 5:08PM on 8-03-2009
Guys,
This is issue is way more far-reaching than this post, and the linked discussion forum, suggest. I have been battling (along w/ many others) with a $1700 chunk of hardware that, when using a new hard drive, becomes virtualy useless, and Apple's official response has been that their laptops "do not support third party drives"! This is because even though Apple's much publicized firmware debacle resulted in them releasing an update so that the new laptops can support SATA II drives, in fact all Apple supplied hard drives are firmware restricted to SATA I! I personally have tried 3 different drives in my brand new MacBook Pro, and the only way I can get a relatively hang-free experience is by bottlenecking the drive to SATA I via jumpers (only works on Seagate drives, WD drives are basically non functional).
Here's the REAL discussion forum you should be posting, 38 pages of fascinating reading, and a lot of pissed off Apple owners:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2054387&start=495&tstart=0
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Tom said 5:24PM on 8-03-2009
I have a new 15" MBP (most recent model from June) and I hear the harddrive park alot, at least it happens so often that I really notice it. I must admit I don't really often have the Marble Of Doom (at least not as much as the guys @ apple forums are reporting) but have had it a few times.
Let's hope Apple looks into this.
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Matt said 5:23PM on 8-03-2009
I can report that my 256 GB SSD is not parking it's heads.
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Brandon said 5:57PM on 8-03-2009
Indeed, this is making me especially glad I spent the extra cash on an SSD. Sorry to hear about the troubles others are having though... Yuck.
huebs said 5:25PM on 8-03-2009
I was having this exact problem for the last two or three weeks and had been trying to ignore it ... until yesterday when my computer froze up completely, forcing me to do a hard restart which turned into a hard shutdown because the computer never booted again. I had replaced the stock 320gig with a 500gig from OWC. After taking the drive out and doing some forensics work, I discovered that the drive was receiving power and spinning up nicely (no clicks or whirrs) but the SATA connector was fried. I'm good about backing up but had been on the wrote writing all weekend and face loosing all that work. I've ordered the same drive from OWC and will be attempting a warranty-voiding logic board transplant. But hearing that this is a common problem probably caused by the computer rather than a faulty drive really upsets me.
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phlyingpenguin said 5:30PM on 8-03-2009
I have this exact problem with a brand new 15" with the 500Gb 7200 RPM drive. I usually just ignore it, but I'm hoping that eventually some solution will come out that Apple will be able to perform on it... I've tried the user ideas such as changing the power settings on the drive and this user account deal (I had one anyhow), but haven't really noticed those helping. Until there's a solution, I've got my eyes peeled.
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Jordan said 6:08PM on 8-03-2009
Marble of doom?
Beach ball of death is better
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TheIcemanCometh said 7:08PM on 8-04-2009
SPINNING Beach Ball of Death (SBBoD) is even better. :-)
K said 6:16PM on 8-03-2009
My 17" is fine, but I did just upgrade to a WD 500gb 7200rpm, which is also running great. Prob. no consolation to you though..
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coyo t said 7:25PM on 8-03-2009
Some days it seems like Apple computers have by far the most problems. Now I realize that is because they're all I've ever used but I wonder. If I had been on the flip side would I have had as many hardware and software problems over the years? I can't imagine having more. Eh, whatever. I know the answer I'll receive here and there, more or less.
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fallenyogi said 7:28PM on 8-03-2009
Interesting. I have the 13" MBP and this has been happening to me almost since the beginning. I thought maybe it had to do with Time Machine or Drop Box, and it's become a huge headache to use. I'll give this a shot.
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loglow said 8:44PM on 8-03-2009
I also have the new 13" MacBook Pro and I've been experiencing the same problem too. Hopefully this press coverage will force Apple to acknowledge the problem and negotiate a fix. I'm planning to replace the HD with a SSD in the near future, so hopefully that will alleviate the issue in any case. As long as Apple steps up and does something about this, I have no problem; kinks happen. Ignoring the problem is unacceptable, however.
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Sebastian said 9:14PM on 8-03-2009
Is this what you all call Apple superior quality?
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